Student Wellbeing

Health and wellbeing - through greater emphasis on social-emotional learning and increased opportunities for experiential outdoor education - is a key focus area within our strategic plan. In 2021-22, we appointed Melissa Moore, our Middle School Principal, as PK-G12 Director of Student Wellbeing. This structure enables a cohesive approach to wellbeing across all grade levels and a strong integration between proactive student skills and dispositions development and reactive care, support and counselling. Mulgrave’s approach to further enhancing student wellbeing is based on the work of Martin Seligman and the theories of Positive Psychology. Based on Seligman’s PERMA model, the Mulgrave extended ‘IPERMAH’ framework includes the following dimensions of social and emotional development and wellbeing:

• Having comfort with my emerging identity • Having a clear sense of purpose, meaning, and value in what I am doing • Having positive relationships • Managing my emotions and maintaining positive emotions • Feeling and being positively engaged • Being positive about my accomplishments • Maintaining my physical health and wellness

• the formal IB curriculum • our pastoral care and support systems • curriculum enrichment opportunities • our school’s ethos and values • our emphasis on exploration of personal identity in step with our diversity, equity, and inclusion work (see page 20) • increased teacher skill development in positive education

Mulgrave has three full-time counsellors who provide both intervention and prevention services to students and support faculty with their classroom practice. The focus of personal counselling is to enhance the wellbeing of students and to empower positive change. Counsellors work closely with faculty and students from preschool through to Grade 12.

Care and support of individual students is based on the class teacher (EY/JS) and advisor teacher (MS/SS) models. These teachers are charged with developing a relationship with a small number of students to maintain an oversight of their holistic development and education.

They monitor and support students’ personal and academic development as well as their participation in the many other aspects of a Mulgrave education and out-of-school activities, and are the first point of call for parents and specialist teachers.

Advisors and class teachers are aided by the divisional leadership teams and a host of other schoolbased professionals who provide assistance according to students’ individual needs.

The COVID pandemic has taken an incredible toll on people around the world. While we were able to enjoy a semblance of normalcy towards the end of the 2021-22 school year, we are very aware that there are long lasting impacts on some students and their families.

Our counselling team, faculty, staff, and leadership emphasised the importance of strong mental health for students and shared tools and approaches, as well as programmes and activities, that enabled students to navigate the uncertainty and turmoil of this time. Initiatives that channelled students’ energy into creative, athletic, outdoor, and service pursuits all contributed to an environment in which student wellbeing and empowerment were at the forefront.

As we reflected on changes made during the pandemic, we particularly assessed those which positively impacted student wellbeing. We will continue with the relaxation of our formal uniform requirements, maintain a schedule whereby older students start school later, and increase the emphasis on outdoor time for exploration and play.